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ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder is a behavioral disorder. This neurobehavioral developmental malfunctioning happens due to the combination of a hyperactive nature and attention problems. The symptoms for this disorder start from as early as seven years of age.
ADHD is not caused due to laziness, or lack of motivation. It does not happen because the intelligence level is low or because the child is disobedient. It is neither related to a bad upbringing or because of selfishness. The main symptoms of ADHD are hyperactivity, impulsiveness and inattention. It is a clinical disorder and is caused by the malfunctioning of the brain. It entirely depends on how the brain functions develop and grows.
The brain has the frontal lobe, basal ganglia, caudate nucleus, cerebellum which is involved in the processes regarding behavior. These processes include inhibition, memory, planning, monitoring the self, regulating verbal patterns, motor control, maintaining and changing the mind set and the regulation of emotions.
Keeping all these in mind, the reason why a brain could malfunction is because of the following:
- When the fetus has been exposed to toxicity during pregnancy.
- When there is exposure to lead
- When the brain has a traumatic injury caused due to some illness or an injury in the head.
- Hereditary factors which may pass on the condition of the brain.
Hereditary Causes
It has been seen that most of the genes that have ADHD pattern are transmitted to the next generation. It has been also observed that most of the ADHD pattern behavior comes from studies of family, adoption, and molecular genetic research.
- Adoption Studies : When there is an adoption, then emphasis is always given to the similarity between the biological relatives and the child. The child should not resemble the adopted relatives more. It has been seen that hyperactive children resembled their biological parents more than the adopted parents when it came to hyperactivity.
- Twin Studies : It has been seen that identical twins show more tendency to acquiring genetic behavior than non – identical twins. Thus identical twins normally acquire the behavioral pattern through the genes. And it has been noticed that ADHD is the condition which stands exceptionally high in as compared to other behavioral problems.
- Molecular Genetic Research : According to this research, a particular type of gene is responsible for passing the behavioral disorder. These specific genes when transferred produce ADHD. This specific gene has been identified as having dopamine.
Exposure To Toxic Substance
Another one of the common causes of ADHD is when the person gets exposed to tobacco or alcohol during pregnancy. This woman later transmits the problem to the children. The consumption of tobacco and alcohol leads to the brain tissue getting damaged and cause a problem like ADHD. Some chemicals which affect the brain are nicotine and lead. So children should not be exposed to such toxic substances in their childhood.
Injury To Brain – Brain Trauma
Sometimes, the brain gets into a trauma. It could be a brain tumor, or a brain stroke. These conditions lead to problems like having an inattentive nature; the motor actions are not regulated properly. The impulses also reduce and the resultant effect is an ADHD.
While we understand the causes of ADHD, we should also know what does not cause ADHD. The following are factors that do not cause ADHD:
- Diet
Diet plays a major role in the personal growth of the individual. Thus diet surely does not result in ADHD. But a good diet, could definitely spruce up the attention of the child. But the popular belief that sugar could make a child hyperactive still holds true, but unproved.
- Hormones
There is absolutely no connection between any kind of behavioral problems and functioning of the hormones. Hormonal changes surely result in mood swings which could affect the behavior, but this is not the same as ADHD. Thus hormones also don’t cause ADHD.
- Vestibular system
Some people believe that the vestibular system of the brain could affect learning and causes emotional problems. But there is no proof for this
- Poor Parenting of family problems : There are no studies that say that poor family atmosphere can cause ADHD. It is seen that parents of ADHD children give more negative commands. This is because the child is non-co-operative and does not listen to commands easily. Yet a parent who has neglected parenting need not necessarily have an ADHD child.
